Kieran Kane & Kevin Welch – 11/12/13: Live In Melbourne

These two tunesmiths from the Dead Reckoning pool are about equidistant from whatever the hell the “mainstream” is — Kane’s an unrepentant smoothie with a Don Williams jones who busted through with the “New Country” O’Kanes in the late-’80s, while Oklahoma-raised Welch scrapes up two panhandles’ worth of dry-gulch tale-spinnin’.

They’re both fine, evocative singers, too, but left to sing solo and without significant instrumental embellishment, the goin’ could easily get a bit, er, dusty. Together, though (and alternating songs and lead vocals), they manage to strike up some low-key sparks in this comfortable “live” taping of a couple of nights last November in Australia.

11/12/13 collates fifteen tracks, all but two (Welch’s crisp reading of John Hiatt’s “Train To Birmingham” and Kane’s haunted take on Hank Williams’ “Ramblin’ Man”) written by the principals.

This is anything but a party record. It’s strictly early-morning stuff, and whether that early morning is approached as the tail end of the night before or by awakening on the dawning day makes no difference. It’s quiet, direct and personal.

Both singers are probably better presented on their own discs, but 11/12/13 allows for a worthy examination of two fine artists in a rare, no-pressure setting. Think of it as a pair of cool guys trading off playing songs for you in your living room, and it comes out a winner.